Dealing with it
by DatGooz
Summary: Zack finds out he has cancer and instead of doing the rational thing and letting people help him through it he decides not to tell anyone and tries to push them all away. However Bailey knows something's up and does her best to find out what it is. Zailey fanfiction, Favourites and reviews are appreciated.
1. Prologue

Dealing with it (Zailey)

Zack finds out he has cancer and instead of doing the rational thing and letting people help him through it he decides not to tell anyone and tries to push them all away. However Bailey knows something's up and does her best to find out what it is.

Disclaimer - Nope, Don't own Disney or Suite Life, yet.

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"I'm sorry, but you have Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma"

At this point, the room goes deathly quiet.

Carrie was the first to speak up "What exactly does that mean doctor"

"It means your son has of cancer, I'm sorry"

It's at this point that Carrie goes into near hysterics while Zack sits stoically beside her before he speaks up "How long do I have?"

The Doctor seems surprised by his calmness but never less answers "Well unfortunately who have the low grade disease and the fact that we caught it quite late means that you could potentially only have a year left."  
At this point, Zack turns to his still crying Mom and asks if he could get some time alone with the doctor, when she protests the doctor tells her he has every right to speak privately.  
When she leaves, Zack turns back to the doctor "What are the treatment options?"

"The main treatments used for non-Hodgkin lymphoma are chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a type of targeted treatment called monoclonal antibody therapy. This will require being in the hospital more and more as time and the disease progress and will of course cause hair loss."  
"Are there any other treatment options"

"Why?"

"Because if I'm going to die, I'd rather it not be in a hospital bed."

"In that case there is a new drug trial for combating this type of cancer, however I have to warn you that this drug, while showing promising results, could also reduce the amount of time you have left and is extremely painful to inject."  
"How soon could I start on it?"

"Treatment would begin next week and you would have Bi-Weekly appointments to inject the drug and do a check-up" "I'd like that treatment then"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes"  
"Okay then, we can get it sorted so that the doctor on the ship you go to school on can administer the treatment for you."

"Thank you doctor."  
After they finished talking, Zack left the room and headed over to his pacing mother who, as soon as she saw him, swept him up into a bone crushing hug "Oh baby it's going to be okay"  
"I've talked to the doctor and decided to take a treatment plan that means I'm not going to be stuck in a hospital" He decided not to elaborate as this would probably worry her even more. "And Mom? Can you do me a favour?"

"Anything sweetheart"  
"I want to go back to school on the ship and continue like before, that means you can't tell anyone I have cancer, including Cody."

"Oh but sweetheart they could help you get through this"

"I don't want anyone to treat me differently! Promise me you won't tell anyone Mom."

"Ok, I promise you"

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My first Fanfiction! Don't know if this is any good or not and it's really just exposition but this story will be Zailey. Tell me what you think! Review and favourite if you want, it could help me write better stories in the future. Thanks for the reviews! Edited due to advice from Laura-Stars, thanks for the help and any advice or criticism is greatly appreciated.


	2. Zacks thoughts

Chapter 2 is here! Sorry it took so long but I was having trouble finding the time to write it. I know it doesn't really progress the story but I just wanted to get Zacks thoughts down to show why he acted the way he did last chapter. Next chapter will take place on the ship and I'm thinking a multiple POV chapter, maybe Bailey and Zack. I don't know big a part Carey will play in this but since she's his Mum she will be in there. Anyway, on with the story!

* * *

It's weird finding out when you're going to die, we all know it's going to come sooner or later, death is supposed to be life's big mystery; we never really know when it will strike or what will happen afterwards. We all like to have our own versions of what happens after death, whether that being what was taught to us or what we tell ourselves or our loved ones to help ease the pain.

Zack wasn't the smartest, he knew that, well, he certainly wasn't book smart like Cody but he at least liked to consider himself reasonably intelligent, he just hated to show it. However, it didn't take a genius to know that something was up as soon as the doctor walked into the room with a guarded but solemn look on his face and slow steps as if trying to delay the inevitable.

So when the doctor told him he had cancer, he felt like he should have seen it coming and yet it still managed to floor him and make him feel like someone dropped a weight the size of a boulder on him. Luckily though, he managed to keep his outward reactions in check though, as the last thing he needed was to cause his mother more worry than necessary.

It was right here and now that he decided that no one else could know, the look of pure sadness and despair in his mother's eyes was more than he could take, he didn't think he would be able to handle that look reflected in his brother's eyes, it would kill him.

However, what he really wouldn't be able to handle would be the pity, he couldn't handle people offering their condolences, fake comfort or support, all this would do is cement the fact that soon he was dead and there was nothing he could do about it.

He didn't want to be treated like glass, he wanted to be treated like Zack, the prankster who doesn't do well at school and likes to hit on girls, not Zack, the terminal cancer patient who needed to be treated like porcelain lest he be sent reeling into a depression about the fact that he could very well die soon.

He needed to know his options, and as much as he loved her, he didn't want his mother to interfere with something that he needs to deal with. So when the doctor listed his options, his hope of keeping his condition quiet seemed to all but vanish. However there was still hope as he found out that there was a treatment option that meant he could both stay on the ship and keep his life normal, he knew it had some serious risks attached and that he would have to keep them from his mum, but he knew it was the only option he would consider.

Despite the kind of person he seems to be, Zack hates lying to his family, it hurts him to keep things from them and he knows the risks of not telling Cody about his cancer, but his bother has enough on his plate without needing to waste his time worrying about him. Zack doesn't need support through this, more so, he knows he doesn't deserve it, not from Cody, Woody nor London, and definitely not from Bailey, not after the way he's treated her, no matter how much he wants her to hold him, it wouldn't be in the way or for the reasons he wanted, it never would. They're heading back to the ship now, with his Mom telling him that she'll call every night to check up on him and that if he ever needs anything, she can be there as soon as possible.

Zack doubts he'll take her up on that though, this is something that he deserves to face on his own.

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I know this seems a fairly melancholy towards the end, but for some reason this is how I picture Zack thinking and feeling in my head. Anyway, tell me what you thought by leaving a review, tell me how I could improve and any suggestions of what you would like to see in future chapters. There will be less of a gap between this chapter and the next, I promise!


	3. Little white lies

**Authors Note: I'm sorry! I really did mean to get a chapter up much sooner but I've been super busy with College deadlines and stuff. As well as that, since this is my first story I've really been unsure about the quality of it and every time I've begun to write a chapter or had an idea for one I've scrapped it, thinking it's terrible, so that's not helped me get anything out fast. I didn't even like this particularly much, but it's the best I had and I thought I should just see what people thought. Anyway, on to the chapter and please, it would be great if you could tell me what you thought. Hopefully more to come soon!**

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This isn't hard dammit! Just walk in and pretend I don't have a potentially fatal form of cancer, slowly destroying me from the inside. All I have to do is tell them a little white lie, why is that so hard! 'Probably because you know it's not a little white lie, and that this is something really important that your twin brother and friends deserve to know'. Shut it conscious, there's a reason I don't ask you. Right, anyway, game plan, I go in there, act like everything is fine and it was just a routine check-up and everything went fine, perfect! 'Or you could just tell them the truth so you have the support of those closest to you'. Not gonna happen, I don't want people to try me like some sort of victim who needs their pity, especially them. If I tell them the truth, they'll start walking on eggshells around me and treat me differently, if I'm going to die, I want to die Zack, the underperforming, goofy prankster, not Zack the cancer patient. 'What makes you think they'll treat you any different, especially if you tell them all this'. I know they will! Whatever, let's just get this over with.

Cody, Bailey, Woody and London are all hanging on the deck, chatting when Zack walks over to them. Cody is the first to speak "Hey man, how'd it go" he asked in a worried tone.

Before Zack has the chance to speak, Bailey interjects "How did what go? Where have you been?" She says, also sounding worried but better at hiding it than Cody.

Zack rolls his eyes, irritated. "Chill out, I was just with my mom at the hospital"

At this Woody interjects, now also worried "At the hospital! What happened, are you dying!"

At this, Zack chuckles nervously, a near imperceptible look of anxiety passing across his face for an instant "Course I'm not dying ya big lug, it was just something my mom wanted checked" After this he turns to Cody "I'm fine obviously, doctor checked me out and told me I'm a model of good health, I told you there was nothing to worry about". Throughout his little speech, Zack's voice a little shaky, only acknowledged by Bailey, who narrowed her eyes ever so slightly.

With a look of relief on his face, Cody lets out a small laugh "Well I'm glad bro, you had me worried for a bit there" He then proceeds to pat him on the shoulder. "Glad to have you back man"

"Yeah well I'm glad to be back" Another nervous chuckle, after which he catches Bailey's look "Well, my shift starts soon so I best be getting back, see you guys later"

London looks up from looking at her nails for the first time since Zack arrived "What? Oh, hey Zack" She goes back to focusing on the task at hand.

Zack laughs "Hi London" Turning back to everyone "Talk to you guys later" He makes his quick getaway, Bailey scrutinizing his every move.

Once Zack leaves, Bailey pipes up again, with a calculating look on her face "Did something seem off to you guys about Zack?" After a few no's and a confused head tilt from London, Bailey walks off with a quick see you later to everyone so she can think on this some more.


End file.
